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VM-Box backup VBscript (with rotation)

Hi

I recently had to find a simple (cheap), but effective way to backup
non-critical vm-boxes (non-critical in the sense that they only have to
be available 99%). Here, I will make available a little script of mine, which
makes use of the VMCOM-Api (VM-Server, no ESX).

Motivation

Pure data-backup/restore usually is solved and unproblematic, however,
configurations and parametrisations of underlying software components often
are a pain, and, depending on their complexity, it takes hours up to days to
restore them in worst-case scenarios.

In an application service provider model, often customer-dedicated machines
are fully configured running on vm-boxes. So, by backing up the vm-boxes,
you actually are backing up all the necessary configurations and parametrisations.

Script

The script performs a rotational backup (4 weekdays, 5 weekends (fridays)).
Events as well as exceptions are written to the application event log.
If you are running the vm-server in a 64bit-windows environment, make
sure (VMCOM-Api does not support (yet) 64bit) to start the script in a 32bit-environment by using

Code:

%WINDIR%\SysWOW64\cmd.exe /c VMBackup.vbs

in your at or scheduler.

Further pro/co's are up to you. The script has its value in certain
environments, but none in others. Decide yourself